Mowing Sickle Drive Connection with Spherical Bearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connection arrangements between mowing sickle drives and mowing sickles face challenges in maintaining secure assembly positions, allowing for easy detachment and reassembly, while also ensuring long-term durability and efficient force transmission.
Innovation Solution
A connection arrangement featuring a metal first connection element with a circular cylindrical through bore, a clamping mechanism, and a metal intermediate ring with a hollow spherical inner face, along with a rotational rolling member bearing, which enables secure assembly, easy detachment, and adjustment, and provides compact and durable force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a pivoting bearing arrangement is used to accommodate circular track movement of the driving trunnion, then the connection allows for position changes during operation, but the structure becomes complex and requires permanent relative movement compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The connection arrangement is divided into separate functional components: a first connection element attached to the mowing sickle, a second connection element (driving trunnion) from the drive, and an intermediate ring that mediates between them. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific function while simplifying the overall structure compared to a single complex pivoting bearing arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate ring acts as a mediator between the first and second connection elements. It provides a spherical bearing surface that accommodates the circular track movement of the driving trunnion while maintaining a relatively simple structure. The intermediate ring translates the complex pivoting motion into a simpler form that is easier to manage and maintain.
2Ease of operation
If adjustment mechanisms are added to enable relative positioning during assembly, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the device complexity increases and secure maintaining of assembly position becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate ring is designed with a slot that allows it to be elastically deformed during assembly. This dynamic characteristic enables the ring to expand or contract slightly to accommodate positioning adjustments while being clamped between the connection elements. Once assembled, the ring maintains its position securely without requiring additional adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The dimensions of the intermediate ring, particularly the width of the slot, are carefully selected to provide the necessary adjustment range while ensuring secure assembly. By optimizing these parameters, the design achieves both assembly flexibility and position stability without adding complex adjustment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If metal components are used throughout the connection arrangement, then heat conduction and force transmission are improved, but the risk of deformation under load increases
Solution Approach 1:
While the patent uses metal components for their strength and heat conduction properties, the design incorporates a slot in the intermediate ring that allows for controlled elastic deformation. This effectively creates a composite behavior where the metal provides strength and thermal conductivity, while the slot geometry provides flexibility to accommodate stress without permanent deformation.
4Strength
If the through bore cross-section is reduced by a clamping mechanism, then secure assembly is achieved, but the intermediate ring may deform and make detaching difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate ring's slot allows it to dynamically change its cross-sectional dimensions. During assembly, the ring can be compressed to fit tightly between the connection elements for secure assembly. During detachment, the ring can expand back to its original dimensions, allowing easy removal without permanent deformation or difficulty in detaching.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures secure assembly and easy detachment of the mowing sickle drive, maintains the assembly position, and enhances the lifespan of the connection by preventing deformation and allowing for heat conduction, while providing effective force transmission through the use of metal components and a double taper roller bearing.
Implementation Method 1
A rotational rolling member bearing (20, 23, 30) is pivotably held in the intermediate ring (14)
Implementation Method 2
heat conduction is achieved to the outside away from the rotational rolling member bearing
Data Source
AI summary
A connection arrangement between a mowing sickle drive and a linear reciprocating mowing sickle has a first metallic connection element (4). The first connection element (4) forms either one component with the mowing sickle (1) or serves to connect the same. The first connection element (4) is at least partially formed annularly and includes a circular cylindrical bore (6), which defines a longitudinal axis (5). The first connection element (4) is slotted and includes a clamping mechanism (11) to change the cross-section of the bore (6). A metallic ring (14) has a circular cylindrical outer face (19) to nest in bore (6). A hollow spherical inner face (18) is on the intermediate ring (14). The intermediate ring (14) has at least one slot on its circumference. A rotational rolling member bearing has an outer metallic bearing ring (20) and is closed in a circumferential direction. The outer bearing ring (20) has a spherical outer bearing face (21), which is formed into the inner face (18) of the intermediate ring (14) and enclosed by the intermediate ring (14). The outer bearing ring has at least one outer race (22). At least one metallic inner bearing ring (23), closed in a circumferential direction is positioned inside of said outer bearing ring (20). The inner ring (23) includes at least one inner race (24) and has a through extending receiving bore (26). Rolling members (25) are arranged between the outer race (22) and the inner race (24). A second connection element (27), which includes a driving trunnion (29), rests in the receiving bore (26).